Waking Remembrance
by finem facere mundo
Summary: Three months after Vegnagun, a new threat rises, one that does not exist in the real world, or the Farplane, but in both at the same time. Yuna and friends must race against time to stop a powerful new evil from destroying Spira.
1. Chapter 1

Waking Remembrance

Dark, the world was too dark. And nothing could stab through it. Nothing. Only he. At least, that is what he believed. A dark hood covered his face. A long black coat, pants and boots. And black gloves over his hands. He stood in the middle of a gigantic room , filled with machina. He looked around him. Silently, it worked.

A flow of energy penetrated his being. It revived his strength. He stood straighter and held high his left hand. The earth around him trembled and quaked. The incredible force pushed through the many layers of earth and iron . . .

Until it reached the ground so for above. The magic spilled forth over the ruins of the once-city so far away. The being chuckled. The earth settled. But the door was open, open for all to see.

He lifted his hands again and the machina spun to work. Fueled by magic, they began to work through the very boundaries of this world.

Soon, very soon, the gate would reach the Farplane. And then unleash it, on Zanarkand.


	2. Besaid

A gentle breeze swept across the tropical island of Besaid. Children played on the beach and ran through the village. Life here was simple, and many thought it was too slow a life for the High Summoner, Yuna. But after defeating Sin two years ago, and just three months before, vanquishing Vegnagun, she thought she deserved some rest.

Her hair blew into her face and she brushed it away. She looked up into the sky, remembering her days as a sphere hunter. She sighed and jumped down from her perch atop a large rock. She began the walk back to the village.

"Lady Yuna!" Yuna turned quickly and just narrowly avoided a blitz ball. She waved to the members of the Besaid Aurochs. As she walked the path, her mind wandered to her friends, the Gullwings.

_I wonder if Rikku is having fun right now_? She smiled. _Well of course Rikku is, what isn't fun for her_? A group of giggling children raced passed her. She laughed and stopped to look up at the clouds again. The Eternal Calm. The era of total peace, of course Vegnagun interrupted it, but Yuna and her friends tore it to pieces. A scream broke the silence. Yuna ran back to where the children had been.

A large fiends had cornered them. It snarled as it approached. It eyes searching out the oldest of the young children. It growled then it leapt. A gunshot rang through the trees and the fiend flew backwards. Yuna held the gun up and ran to the children. "Go back to the village, hurry!" the shot was sure to have attracted other fiends. There was another scream. Yuna rolled her eyes.

_Why didn't I follow them._ A large condor had cornered them. Yuna aimed and fired, but the bird moved out of her way. She jumped up to a higher perch and tried again. The fiend rushed her. She dropped to the ground below. The bird raised up to dive at her, but as it fell, a man leapt from the cliff by it and stuck his sword into it.

He landed on his feet and brushed his blonde hair out his eyes. His hook-bladed sword he stuck into the ground. "Yuna, Yuna, you should never try to help someone unless someone _else_ is there too." Yuna holstered her gun and placed her hands on her hips. She smiled and pointed towards the village. The children bowed and ran off, giggling. "Awww, cute, they enjoyed the near death experience." Tidus said with a smile.

"I was doing just fine." she said. Tidus tried to hide his laughter. "I was!" Tidus shook his head and turned around. Yuna ran after him.

"Oh, and by the way. We just got a message and Rikku is supposed to be here in a little while. Yuna frowned.

"Do you know why?"

"I suppose its just to visit." said Tidus. Yuna shook her head.

"Maybe they found a rare sphere!" Yuna exclaimed.

"Or maybe they want to complain about how they didn't." said Tidus. Yuna shook her head. "Oh, please, that sounds just like Rikku!"

"I don't know, but I know for sure, it not just to chat." Tidus shrugged.

"We'll see when they get here." said Tidus. From up ahead they heard a scream. "God!" Tidus lifted his sword and he and Yuna raced forward.

The large airship roared overhead and the children shouted and ran in excitement. They liked laughing at Brother whenever he came to the village with Rikku. Just minutes later, Rikku came running into the village. She stopped short of Yuna.

"We need to tell you something, its very important and we need to tell you now because if we wait any longer then something bad could happen, maybe worse than Sin or Vegnagun!" then she took a deep breath and bent down, her hands on her knees, gasping for air. Tidus cocked an eyebrow.

"Anyone got a bag?" he asked. Rikku shook her head. "Only kidding." Brother ran into the village just as Rikku straightened.

"Yuuunaa!" Rikku sighed and stuck out her foot. Brother tripped and fell face-first into the dirt. All the children laughed. Yuna smiled and turned to Rikku.

"You said you had something to tell us?" she asked. Rikku nodded and began to bounce on her heels in excitement.

"Something's happened in Zanarkand!" she said. Yuna frowned. Tidus walked closer. The people began to mumble amongst themselves.

"Something about Zanarkand?" came a voice from behind. Rikku turned.

"Wakka!" she exclaimed. Wakka nodded and stepped up beside the group, leaning on Tidus, who pulled away from him.

"Cut it out!" he said with a smile. Wakka shook his head.

"I heard you mention Zanarkand." said Wakka. "What happened, di you find a sphere there, or sumthin'?"

"Yeah, did you?" Yuna asked excitedly. Rikku shook her head.

"We only just heard about it, while in Luca." said Brother, who had dusted the dirt off himself and was now beside Rikku. Rikku nodded.

"This was massive! They say that a group of people who were visiting Zanarkand saw a hole open, in the air!" Tidus reeled.

"What!" he shouted. Rikku nodded.

"They said they saw people inside the hole, just a few. But that they were wouldn't come out, like they were blocked." she said. "But that's not the strangest part!"

"They said that they moved to get a closer look, and saw that those people, were in the Farplane." said Brother. Rikku nodded vigorously.

"Someone . . . opened a hole to the . . Farplane?" Yuna looked to Tidus and to Wakka. Both shrugged.

"A group of Ronso who were scouting the mountain said they could see a light from the holy city!" said Brother.

"The big three want to see you." said Rikku. Yuna sighed. All her hopes for a peaceful life, they seemed so far away now. She looked back up at Rikku.

"Take me."


	3. The Big 3

Bevelle, the home of New Yevon, and the city that once housed Yevon. Water flowed through its canals, and the floor shone like jewels. Baralai, Gippal, and Nooj stood outside the main gates. Gippal smiled and walked over to Rikku. Nooj and Baralai welcomed Yuna and the others, which included Tidus, and Paine, who had been on the airship, monitoring the situation.

"Glad to see you finally made it, Lady Yuna." said Baralai with a bow. Nooj nodded to them and turned to walk through the doors.

"Don't mind him." said Gippal as he passed them. "Some things just never change." They all went inside the temple. Baralai took them up to a room with a table and chairs. After they had all sat down, Baralai turned a small nob and the lights brightened.

"So, I suppose that Rikku has already told you about what what seen in Zanarkand?" Yuna nodded. "Good."

"So, do you know what's happening?" asked Yuna. Gippal shook his head.

"Not a clue." he said. He leaned back in his chair. "Cid's girl had a theory, but I doubt its right, she just ain't that smart." Rikku pushed against the chair and Gippal hit the ground.

"Rikku?" Yuna looked at her in shock. Rikku looked at her feet. "Sorry." she sighed. It was followed with a mumbled, "Big meanie." Gippal sat the chair right and sat down.

"We don't know much. But, as Rikku has told you, we do know that this hole is a portal to the Farplane. We have scouts watching it at the moment. According to them, the number of people, of the dead, behind the invisible shield, is growing. We don't however, know how fast." Nooj stood up and paced the room.

"I have assembled a small team of the Youth League near Zanarkand, should we need assistance." he said. "That is all I can do for now. There's no need to pull too many of the Youth League out just as a precaution."

"I haven't done anything." said Gippal with a smile. "But I while if this escalates."

"We've received information from someone, an anonymous source, that there is a man in Luca who may be able to help us." said Baralai. "But he said that he will only speak to you, Lady Summoner."

"He said he wants to meet you in a café, at night. I think you know the one. The café by the large statue."

"At night?" asked Paine? "Doesn't that seem a little like, a setup, to you?" she asked.

"You three know how to defend yourselves." said Baralai.

"Three?" asked Yuna. "I thought he said he would only speak to me?"

"Yes, well, he said you and your two friends." said Gippal. Yuna looked to Paine and Rikku. Yuna smiled and stood up. She held her hand straight out.

"Y." Rikku smiled and put her hand on Yuna's.

"R." Paine stood and placed her hand on Rikku's.

"P." they broke and rushed out the door. Tidus stared at the wall for a moment.

"She is _way_ too excited." then he followed them.

. . .

The being stood silently in the large chamber. He lifted a hand to where his face was hidden. "Soon, so very soon, milady." his voice whispered. "For now you will listen, but the clock has been set, Summoner. Then the end begins." he chuckled as he looked at the machina around him. "The end . . . begins."

The stars were bright over Luca as Yuna, Rikku, and Paine stepped inside the café. The warm air and smell of drinks hit them. People watched the screens behind the counter, Blitzball was on. Yuna surveyed the crowd, trying to see if she could guess who had sent the message.

The bartender stepped up to Yuna and handed her a note. "Someone told me to give this to you." he said.

"What did he look like?" asked Yuna. The man shrugged.

"He was behind me, told me not to look, just to give this to you." then he walked away.

"Strange." Yuna turned the note over in her hands.

"Whatcha got there, Yunie?" asked Rikku, looking over Yuna's shoulder.

"I'm not sure." she opened the letter.

"What does it say?" asked Paine.

"I says to meet him outside, beside the café." the three exchanged worried glances before exiting the café. They walked to the side of the café and waited.

"Maybe it was all just a joke." said Rikku after ten minutes. Yuna sighed.

"Maybe, lets get back to . . ."

"Yunie?" Rikku and Paine turned around. They both gasped and reached for their weapons.

"Now, now." said a voice. A hand was gripping Yuna's arm, the other held a dagger up to Yuna's neck. Behind her, halfway in the shadows, was a man. He wore a black robe, only his mouth was visible from underneath the thick hood. "You wouldn't want me to damage her."

"Let her go!" said Paine. The man laughed.

"And what position are you in to make demands?" he frowned. "And as for you, Lady Summoner, You would be wise to not keep your back turned to the shadows for too. As you can see, your companions cannot draw, or I just mut slit your pretty little throat!" he said.

"What do you want?" asked Yuna.

"Just to teach you a lesson." the hand withdrew and he released Yuna. He slipped the dagger into the folds of his robe. "I meant no harm, I just wanted to give you some advice." he said. "I am your informer," he said with a bow, "I have some information that you may find . . . useful. I have dealt with this sort of being before. It neither exists here, or in the Farplane, but yet both at the same time."

"How's that possible?" asked Paine.

"Something is giving him power, a force of life that anchors him here, to this world. Destroy the line, you destroy him." The man turned towards the shadows.

"Wait!" called Yuna. The man stopped, his back still turned. "That's all, how do we find this _being_? What's it going to do?"

"When you are in need of more information, I will give it. Until then, I must depart." the shadows seemed to swallow him. Rikku, Yuna, and Paine. Began to walk back to the airship.

"I can't believe it!" exclaimed Rikku. "He threatens you, then he tells us almost nothing! Hmpf! Some help he was!"

"At least he told us something." Yuna said with a sigh. She began to wonder. That voice had sounded so familiar. She looked back to where the man had been, only to see pyre-flies floating from the darkness beside the café.


End file.
